


never tell the one you want that you do

by myownremedy



Category: Social Network (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Break Up, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Alternating, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-04
Updated: 2012-12-04
Packaged: 2017-11-20 06:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/582418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myownremedy/pseuds/myownremedy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Eduardo that dates Erica instead of Mark, and it's Erica that leaves him instead of Mark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	never tell the one you want that you do

**Author's Note:**

  * For [captbarnes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/captbarnes/gifts).



> Written for the prompt: _mark/wardo, tsn, wardo is the one that dates and breaks up with erica instead of mark. fuck with the movie timeline as you wish idec~_. Part of a tumblr ask box meme.  
>  Title from the song Cardinal Song by The National.  
> Written for Krista.  
> Unbeta'd.  
> Disclaimer: I own none of The Social Network, y'all gay, this didn't happen, no copyright infringement intended, etc.  
> edit (4-13-15): this is a transformative work. I make no money off of it. I do not own what inspired this work (The Social Network), but I do own this work itself and hold full copyright over it. Thank you.

Sometimes, Erica reminds Eduardo of Mark.

“I think we should just be friends,” she says, looking at him with clear green eyes. She’s calm. He’s not.

“What?” It comes as a surprise to him, because they work together. Good sex, intelligent conversation, fun dates - why would they break up?

Erica dismisses this with a wave of a small, dainty hand. “Yes, you’re a great boyfriend. But I deserve better.”

“I -“

“You’re not in love with me, Eduardo. You’re in love with Mark.”

Other times, she’s nothing like Mark at all.

—

Mark is coding when Eduardo stumbles it. It’s obvious that he’s drunk, because he slumps on the couch and eyes Mark blearily.

Mark grunts, focused on coding The Facebook. It’s so close to being ready but there’s something missing, something small but integral and it’s driving him crazy - 

“Erica and I broke up.” Eduardo announces. Mark hums to himself, hits ctrl + s and glances up briefly, because that’s what you’re supposed to do. 

“Sucks,” he offers. It’s not enough, because Eduardo seems to collapse in on himself. Mark wonders why he’s here, wonders why he didn’t go find the far more sympathetic Chris or Dustin.

“She broke up with me because she knows I’m in love with someone else,” Eduardo says dramatically. Mark nods to himself, feels something coursing through his blood, knows the missing piece of code is close. He flexes his fingers, starts a new line of code. Distantly, he feels Eduardo’s eyes on his back.

“So are you gonna ask this other girl out?” He isn’t really paying attention, is just asking to calm Eduardo down - but Eduardo starts  _laughing,_ excepting he sounds like he’s crying and that’s enough to make Mark look up at him, brow knitted in a frown.

“I never said it was a girl.” Eduardo manages when the laughter dies down. “Christ, everyone knows but you, Mark.”

“Knows  _what?”_ Mark snaps back, irritated now. “So you’re into guys now? Cool. Since when?”

“Since my sophomore year.” Eduardo is leaning forward, elbows on his knees, and is looking at Mark intently; it’s making Mark uncomfortable. He turns back to his computer, stares blankly down at the screen. “I met a freshmen at a party and fell in love.”

Mark feels something cold slip down his spine, like an ice cube, and lays his hands flat on the keyboard.

“Oh.”

“Don’t you know?” Eduardo demands. But what comes out of his mouth next is not what Mark is expecting. “I’m in love with you, Mark!”

“You’re drunk,” Mark says immediately, stupidly - and Eduardo surges off the couch, angry and dejected. Mark stands too, catches one of Eduardo’s arms. “That’s not what I meant,” Mark clarifies when Eduardo is looking at him, eyes dark enough that Mark can see his reflection, and he wonders what about him Eduardo fell in love with - the curly, unmanagable hair? The pale skin? The skinny body that comes from having little to no athletic ability?

“I should go,” Eduardo says, shifting away but Mark shakes his head and doesn’t let go.

“No,” he tugs Eduardo over to the bed. “I think you should stay. And…sleep.”

“Sleep?” 

“You’re drunk, Wardo,” Mark reminds him, but he doesn’t resist when Eduardo tugs him down to bed as well, doesn’t mind when he fits himself to the back of Eduardo’s body, wrapping an arm casually around his waist. “Go to bed.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“No,” Mark answers carefully, because drunk-wardo is either angry or very fragile. “I’m not mad. We’ll talk in the morning, ok?”

“Night, Mark.”

“Night, Wardo.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> visit me on [tumblr!](http://marnz.tumblr.com/) prompts welcome.


End file.
